India seizes Chinese shipment of banned chemicals bound for Pakistan's biological warfare program
According to officials, the large quantity of shipment raised concerns over its potential military use, more so given the ongoing internal conflicts in Pakistan, where security forces have been trying to suppress movements in Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
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Security agencies have seized a Chinese shipment of internationally banned chemicals, apparently intended for Pakistan’s biological and chemical warfare program, at a port in Tamil Nadu, news agency PTI reported.
The consignment included Ortho-Chloro Benzylidene Malononitrile (CS), a chemical used as a tear gas and riot control agent. Customs authorities seized the shipment, raising concerns due to the large quantity of this dual-use chemical, which is listed under international agreements and India’s export control list.
CS is a dual-use chemical listed under international agreements and India’s export control list. While it has civilian applications as riot control agents, the sheer quantity seized raises concerns about its potential military use.
Officials indicated that this seizure highlights an alleged proliferation network between China and Pakistan. The involvement of Chinese companies in supplying components to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program further deepens the concerns over proliferation activities.
The 2560-kg shipment originated from the Chinese firm, Chengdu Shichen Trading Co. Ltd., and was consigned to Rohail Enterprises, a Rawalpindi-based defence supplier in Pakistan.
Stored in 103 drums of 25 kgs each, the cargo was loaded on a vessel Hyundai Shanghai (sailing under Cyprus flag), on April 18, 2024, at Shanghai Port, China. The Karachi-bound vessel reached Kattupalli Port (Tamil Nadu) on May 08, 2024.
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